Circuit-breaker.



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CIRCUIT BREAKER.

APPLIOATION FILER MAR. 27, 1908.

1,125,745. Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

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W. M. SCOTT.

CIRCUIT BREAKER.

APPLICATION FILED MAB-.27, 1908.

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WITNESSES:

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ldlTElIft PATENT ()FFIGE.

WILLIAM Ii'I. SCOTT, ii PHILADELl'HIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE CUTTER ELECTRICAL AND MANUFACTUBIITG CGMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEXV JERSEY.

CIRCUIT-BREAKER.

weaves.

.iipplieation filed March 27, 1908.

My invention relates to electrical switches suitable r'or making or breaking or controlling an electric circuit carrying currents of great volume and of considerable potential, and more particularly relates to an auto matic circuit breakei.

My invention resides in an electrical switch comprising main and shunt members, the main and shunt members being ivotally mounted independently of each ot ier, though they may be concentrically pivoted.

it is the object of my invention to pro vide a pivoted main contact member and an independently pivoted shunt or secondary contact member so thatthe secondary or shunt contact operates independently of-the main switch member to break the circuit after and to close the circuit before the main switch member. T he independence of the secondary or shunt contact from the main contact member, secured by this independent pivoting, results in a mode of operation different from prior structures in which the secondary or shunt contact has been pivoted. upon or to the main contact, and arried through space by the main contact, to secure independent movement of the shunt or secondary contact with respect to the main contact. In my apparatus the shunt con tact is not supported on and carried through space by the main contact, but is independently mounted.

My invention resides also in other fea-' tures hereinafter described and claimed.

For an illustration of some of the forms my invention may take, reference is to be had to the accompanvinn' drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a circuit breaker embodying my invention. Fig. 2 a side elevation of the pivoted arm adapted to carry the main contact. Fig. 3 is a side elevation and Fig. 4% is a front elevation of the independently pivoted arm adapted to carry a secondary or shunt contact. Fig. 5 is a. front elevation of the circuit breaker shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an edge view of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

Serial No. 423.751.

the intermediate stationary metallic shunt. contact. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a modified construction in which the shunt contact is pivoted independently of the main contact. Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of the spring member shown in Fig.

7. Fig. 10 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the main and shunt arms pivoted eccentrically with respect to each other.

ldeferring to the drawings, 1 represents a suitable base of any suitable insulating material, such, for example, as marble or slate, upon which are mounted, one vertically above the other, the main'contact terminals Q'and 3 adapted to be engaged and bridged by the laminated bridging contact secured to and carried by the arm 5, pivoted at G, to the housing or bracket 7, which is, in turn, secured upon the base 1.

The operating lever 8, having the opera tors handle 9, is pivoted to the housing 7 at 10 and extends inwardly beyond the pivot 10 to form a toggle link 11, of a pair of toggle links, the other toggle link 12 being pivoted at 13 to the linkll and at 14 to the arm 5.

A spring 15, under tension with the parts in circuit closing position, is connected at one end to the toggle link 11 and at its inner end to the arm 5.

Thelatch 16 is pivoted at 17 to the lug 18, upon the bracket 7, and is adapted to engage the roller 19 pivoted on the operating lever 8. The latch actuating member 20 is also pivoted at 17 and engages with the adjustable screw 2-1, carried bv it. upon the top of the latch 16. The tail 22 of the latch actuator 20 extends into'the path of travel of the armature 23 of the electromagnetic tripping device. such armature coiiperatins; with the pole piece 24 upon the core 25. both of iron. the core 25 being partiallv surrounded by the plate conductor 26. which connects at one end with the block 27, forming one terminal of the circuit breaker, and its other end is disposed vertically and forms the lower main contact 3 engaged by the laminated contact 4. The thumb nut .28 serves to adjust the armature 23 to different heights. and the handle serves vfor manuallv tripping the breaker.

Disposed ac oss the top horizontaii'ace 01 the main terminal block 2-, and extending downwardly on each side of the terminal block 2, is the intermediate stationary metallic shunt contact '30, of channel shape, which is shown isolated and in front edge view in Fig. 6. With the downward extensions or ears 31, 31 engage the movable metallic shunt contacts 32, 32 formed on the ends of the laterally yielding plates 33, 33 secured to and in electrical communication with the main laminated contact 4.

In closing the switch, the movable metallic contacts 32, 32 engage by overlapping and side rubbing action upon the stationary metallic contacts 31, 31, before laminated contact 4 engages the main contacts 2 and 3; and in opening circuit these metallic shunt contacts separate after main bridge 4 has separated from the main terminals 2 and 3, but before the shunt carbons separate.

Disposed upon the top of the stationary metallic shunt-contact 30 and secured by.

screws 34, passing through it, the shunt contact 30, and into the main terminal block 2, is the spring metal plate 35 supporting tionwith the carbon 37 is a conductor 42- which extends downwardly and remains in.

electrical communication with the lower main terminal 3.

The operation istas follows; Assuming the parts in circuit closing position, as shown in Fig. 1., upon an excessive or pre-deter-- mined current flow in the circuit (in which the breaker is connected through the studs 43 and 44, communicating respectively with the upper main terminal 2 and the piece 27 the core 25 and its pole pieces 24 will be sufficiently magnetized to attract upwardly the armature 23 pivoted at 23, delivering a. blow to the under side of "the tail 22 of the latch actuator 20. rotating the actuator 20 upon the pivot 17 and striking upon the top of latch 16, withdrawing the same from the roller 19 and so releasing the operating lever 8. The tog le 11, 12 being slightly undertraveled, will collapse or knee, under the influence of the springf15 and the resilience of the main contact 4'thus causing the arm 5 to rotate away from the base and separate the main contact 4 from the main contacts 2 and 3 to-break circuit. During this time the carbon 37 remains in engagement with carbon 36, the main contact 4 moving about its pivot 6 independently of the carbon 37 and. of its supporting arm 40. Soon after the main laminated contact 4 has separated .from carbon 36, the arm 40 moving inde pendcntly upon its pivot 6. The carbon 36,

due to the resilience of its support 35, may follow the carbon 37, such resilience being provided to insure a satisfactory adjustment of one carbon upon the other, and early circuit closure at the carbons. The final break of the circuit takes place at the carbons and the arcing is confined to them, as well understood in the art.

From this construction it follows that the movable shunt carbon, rigidly supported upon a rigid pivoted arm, is not supported either pivotally, or otherwise, upon the main movable contact, and is, therefore, not carried by the main movable contact through space. The shunt carbon 37 moves through space independently due to the independent pivoting of the rigid supporting arm 40.

'While the spring 41 is shown connected between the arm 40 and the main contact 4, it is to be understood that it may be connected between the arm 40 and some fixed member or portion of the instrument, as'for example, to the bracket 7. In Figs. 7 and 8 are shown me movable parts of a switch or breaker which are the same as those shown in Fig. 1, except that the spring 41 is not present. The tubular member 45 is pivoted at 46 to the arm 40.

Engaging within the member 45 is a mem= ber 47 pivoted at 48 to the toggle link 11. A spiral spring 49 surrounds the members 45 and 47 and is confined between their heads, and is normally under compression thus tending to {force the members 45 and 47 apart. From this, it follows that when the toggle -11, 12 is collapsed, the spring 49 holds the arm 40 stationary and, therefore, the carbon 37 against carbon 36 until the main laminated member 4 engages the arm '40 to carry it away from the base.

In the arrangements of both Fig. 1 and Fig. 7 the arms 40 are pivoted independently of though concentrically with arm It is tobe understood, howeyer, that arm 40 may be pivoted independently of arm'5 at other points, e., not concentrically, as shown in Fig. 10 where arm 40 is pivoted at 6 -at a distance from pivot 6 of arm 5.

What I claim is:

1. In an electric switch, a stationary main contact block, a pivoted laminated contact cohperating therewith, a shunt contact carried by said laminated contact and rigid therewith in the direction of movement thereof and adapted to make contact at a its side of said main contact block,a rigid arm pivoted independently of said laminated contact, a second shunt contact carried by said arm, and switch operating means positively connected only with said laminated contact.

2. In an electric switch, a pivoted main movable contact member, a rigid arm pivoted independently of said main contact, switch operating means positively connected only to said main contact, and a telescopic -connection interposed directly between said operating means and said arm.

3. In an electric switch, a pivoted main movable contact, an arm pivoted independently o f said contact, a shunt contact carried by said arm, a toggle connected to said main contact, and a yielding connection infiopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the terposed directly between said arm and a link of said toggle.

4. In an electric switch, a pivoted main movable contact, an arm pivoted independently of said contact, a shunt contact carried by said arm, a toggle connected to said main contact, and a yielding telescopic connection interposed directly between said arm and a link of said toggle remote from said main contact.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM M. SCOTT.

Witnesses:

ANNA E. STEINBOCK, DANIEL Wnes'rnn, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0,? 

